Sound-producing device



, Y 1,619,204 March 1 1927 L. J. GRUBMAN SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Aug. '7, 1923 73218 7 4 6 f0- ZZ INVENTOR Zea lYmzz/zan ATTORN Patented Mar. 1, 1927. l

Unirse star ?Es PATENT OFFICE.

LEO J'. GRUBLVIAN, OF NEW YORK, N. kY.,-ASfalrhl'ollf't TO VOICES, INCORPORATED,'OF NEWARK, NEW" JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SOUNDY-PRODUCING DEVICE.

Application flediAug-ust 7, 1923. SerialrNo. 656,169.

This invention relates to sound producing devices and more particularlyto a de` vice of that type which is incorporated within the body of a doll for the purpose ot simulating an infant cry such as the exclamationma-ma.

It is the primary object and purpose of my present improvements to provide a device of the above character wherein the several co-operating parts are very compactly housed and arranged within a shell or casing of relatively small dimensions, thus enabling the device to be readily mounted within the body of a comparatively small size doll. y

Sound producing devices or" this type are primarily characterized by the co-operative association of an air expelling member,.a sound` producing means and a sound emission controlling means and it is one of the prominent features of my presentl disclosure to arrange and combine such parts inthe form of a single unit mounted and supported within the casing or housing for opr erative movement relative to the walls therevIt is ano-ther object of the invention to provide a sound producing device of the bellonf's'type'having theV usual flexible body wall securely ixed at ono of its ends tothe casing or housing and having an air expelling head at the otherendthereot carrying the sound producing and sound emission controlling means and movable within the casing to and from positions on opposite sidesof the fixed end oit the bellows wall. In this manner, I aim to provide 'for the requisiteV air expelling movement of the bellows head, andv yet confine or house the parts within a casing of comparativelyV short length. f ,y l

It is also one of the detail objects of my present improvements to provide an yimproved construction andmounting of the sound producing reed.

y Vith the abover and other objects in view, the invent-ion consists in the improved sound producing device and in. the form, construction and arrangement of its several parts as .will be hereinaftermore fullydescribed, illustratedY in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein I have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of the invention and `in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

' Figure l is an end elevation of the device;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section thereof;A

Figure 3 is la side elevation with one of the casing parts shown in section;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 oit Figure 3, one of the parts being broken away; i Y. Y

Figure 5 is a horizontalsection taken on the line 5,-,5 of Figure 2;

, Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan viewof one element of the airy expelling head, the sound producing reed being removed therefrom; and y `Figures 7 and 8 are detail elevations of said element.

In sound producing devices ofV the type with which my present improvements are more particularly identified, it has heretofore been the practice in the art to secure the flexible bellows wall at one of its ends to one end of the housingvorfcasing while to the other end of said wall a gravity movable air expelling head is'suitablysecured, said head being guided in itsmovement by a central tubular post-and the head and post provided with coacting means to control the emission of the sound. Owing to the `fact that the air chamber must have a certain capacity and the air expelling head a certain extent of movement in one direction to expel the air and produce the desired sounds, `it was necessary to Lprovide a,V casing or housing of comparatively large size, particularly asto its lengthwise dimension for the purpose of housing. the parts. In such prior art construction, the sound producing reed is mounted within the tubular post. In other constructions, the reed is mounted in av chamber provided on the bellows head and the central guide rod or. post for said head is provided with spaced discs which control the emission ofv sound y:trom the chamber. I propose yto entirely eliminate the use of such a central rod or post and to also materially reduce the lengthwise dif mansion ol the easing` or housing,r in such a bellows type ol. sound producingr device and at the same time produce a very realistic simulation oi the infant cry, ma-ma.

To this end, I have illustrated a practical emlmdiment oit `my present improvements in the aecompanyiimr drawing wherein I have shown the casing;r or housing' constructed in two parts 5 and (i, respectively-` 'lhese casing;r parts may be stamped 'trom heavy cardboard.v sheet metal, or other suital'ile materiaL each of said parts preferably being' ol cyliiulrical :form and open at one oi its ends. At its open end, theeirciunterentialwall o l the casing' part is laterally otlset or formed with the flange 7 to thus produce an inter nal annular shoulder S thereon.

The other casingr part i) liassrmretl inter nal annular beads 9 formed in its eireunn terential wall, the purpose ot' which will hereinafter appear, while the end wall ot said easing` part is provided with a multiplicity ot sound emission apertures 1t).

The flexible membrane or bellows wall 1l is` securely fixed and trictionally clamped at one of its end edges between the inner l-acc of the flange 7 on the casing part (l and the end ofthe circumferential wall ot the casing part 5 which is telescopieally litted withinsaid flange, the end edge of said wall. also acting to tightly clamp the bellows wall upon the annular shoulder 8.

To the other end of the flexible bellows wall 11 the air expellinghead isattached. In the present instance, I have shown this air expelling' head as consistingr `of the two members 12 and 13, respectively. Each ot these members in the form ol a. relatively heavy sheet metal stamping, the member 1:2 having' a marginal wall lil provided with a laterally disposed outwardly projecting; annular 'flange 15. `The other member 1S is also formed with a marginal wall 16 and within this wall the member 12 is adapted to be nested. The other end edge el the flexible membrane or bellows wall 11 is first:

l engaged around the end ol' the Vall lo so (itl that when the member 12 is inserted. said end edge of the bellows wall will be tightly clamped and trictionally held between the marginal walls 14 and 16 of said members and between the end edge of the 'all 1G and the flange 15. It will be noted that the marginal wall 16 of the member 1? is ot greater depth than thewall 14 of the mem-A ber 12 and the central portion ot the end wall of the member 13 `is outwardly oil'set as indicated at` 17 There is thus provided be tween these two members a sound modifying chamber 1S. Outwardly ot the offset-portion 17 the member `13 provided with a plurality of spaced sound `emission oriiiees 19 eomnlunicating with the chamber 18.

The member 12 of the air expelling head carries the sound producing reed. rlhe mountingv and arrangement of this reed constitutes one of the important features of .my present disclosure and is there'lore illus trated in detail in Figures 2, 5 and G ol the drawings. Upon reterencethereto it will be seen that the wall oit the member 12 is otl'set in its intermediate portion to provide a diametrically extending recess 20 tl'ierein, one end ot' which is widened or enlarged as at 21, the wall. ot the member 12 at this widened end ot the recess being' pressed outwardly to torni a pocket 22, said pocket wall being' separated at one ot its ends lfrom the wall ot' the depression 2O and thereby pro viding communication between said pocket and the sound modifying chamliicr 1S.

ln `the depression 20jtbe sounding reed 2l positioned. said reed. being in the lorm of a thin flat vibratory element ol' sheet, metal, hard rubber, tibre Celluloid or other suitable material and having one end thereof e.xtend.i11gr within the enlarged end 21 ol said recess or depression and `in. overlying relation to the pocket It will `be notedytrom reference to Figure 2 ot the drawing that this end portion of the sounding reed is slightly spaced from the opposite side edges ot the pocket 22 so that the air as itis expelled in the movenient oit the air expelling head trom one end of the casing' or housing; is forced around the sounding' reed through said pocket, thereby causing t-he reed to vbrate and produce the sound waves which issue from the pocket 22 into the chamber 18.

The sounding,` reed is firmly held in the depression 2O by means of a suitable leali springr 25 pivotally secured at one end by thc rivet 26 to the member l2. Preferably, a pad ot cardboard or other suitable material, shown at 27 is interposed between the lea li sln'ingr and the reed element 2st. ln the insertion oit the reed element and the pad 27 the lealz spring is turned upon the pivot :iti to one side ol the depression 2t) and then subsequently returned to a position in parallel relation with the depression and in re silient bearing contact upon the pad 27.

It will be noted that the maximum dimension of the air expelling head is appreciably less than the internal dimension ol. the casing or housing, thus atl'ordingi' ample space for the flexible membrane or bclltnvs wall 11 to foldupon :itselt in the movements o l said head. The linal issuance o t the sound from the apertures l0 in the end wall ot the casing is controlled by a disc 28 ot' hard rubber, libre, cardlmard or other suitable material.` said disc being securely .fixed upon the portion 17 ott the member 13. As disclosed, I preferably position a plate 29 upon the central part ol said disc and permanently secure said plate and the disc to the member 13 by means of the rivetO. It will be observed that the dise et somewhat llt) lll() greater diameter than the air expelling head. Vand its freeA or unsecured marginal portion overlies .and projects beyond the air emission orifices 19in the wall of the member 13.

Having abovedescribed the several struc- Atural features of the device, its operation `and disseminated in the chamber 18 from which they issue through the orifices 19. At the start of this operative movement of the air expelling head, it will be seen that the edge of the disc 2S will first engage the uppermost internal rib or bead 9 on the wall of the casing part 6,-t-hus mulfling `or subduing the issuance of the sound waves varound said disc so that they pass through the apertures 10 in the end wall of the casing and are finally audible as a close simulation of the spoken pronunciation of the letter M. Upon the continuance of the gravity movement of the air expelling head and during the passage ofthe edge lof the disc 28 between the spaced beads or ribs 9, a greater space is afforded for passage of the sound waves around the disc and into the end of the casingy so that the sound next issues from the apertures 10 as a simulation of the spoken pronunciation of the letter a. When the edge of the disc 28 encounters the secondv or lowermost groove or bead 9, the letter m is again sounded and when said disc passes below said latter bead, there will be a comparatively prolonged sounding of the letter c untilthe air expelling head reaches a posilion of rest at the end of its gravity movement.

It will be apparent thatV it is optional in the use of suchv a device to sofform the ribs 9 on the casing wall that when the edge of the vflexible disc engages therewith, there may be a slight leakage of sound in restricted volume around the edge of the disc, or,on the other hand, suchissuance of sound conlple'tely cut olii', and the restricted emission of sound provided for by the provisionof a bleed hole ora small orifice through 'the bellows head, such latter alterna-tive being common practice in the` art. l

It will be apparent from a comparison' of Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings that in this operation of the device the air expelling head moves within the casingor housing from a position at one side of the fixed Vend of the bellowsmembrane or wall 11 to a positionsubstantially at the opposite side of said fixed end of the bellows wall. By securing the fixedend of the bellows wall at a point intermediate of the limits of movement of` thev airy expelling head within the casing, I am thus enabled to obtain the forcible expulsion of` a, sufficient volume of air to fully sound the several syllables -of the word and at the same time materially reducev the lengthwise Vdimension of the casing in comparison -with that required for other devices of an analogous character as hereto-l fore known in the art. It will be seen that in my newconstruction the air expelling member, the sound producing means and the sound emission controlling element are combined in the form of a single unit which is wholly suspended relative to the walls of the casing solely by means of the flexible wall or membrane of the bellows. In other words, this v,composite or unitary structure may be said to have a full floating mounting within the casing or housing ysince no part thereof has a fixed connection with the walls of the casing. Accordingly, frictional resistance to the proper free and unretarded operation of the several elements iswholly eliminated and the proper functioning of the device for the intended purpose is positively assured. In view of the very compact arrangement of the several parts and the small" dimensions of the housing or casinggit is possible to readily mount the de vice in operative position within the body of a comparativelyrsmall size doll, whereas in so far as I ,am aware, prior `art devices of thistype could only be utilized in connection with dolls of appreciably greater size.

In the present disclosure, YI have referred to an embodiment of the invention which is believed to be highly satisfactory in practical operation. However, it is possible that corresponding results might be obtained in other alternative constructions, and it is accordingly Vto bev understood that no limitations are to be implied from the foregoing detail description, and Vthat I lgeserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope ofl the invent-ion as claimed. i

I claim:

l. In a sound producing device, an air chamberV and a movable head constituting one end of said chamber, a sound producing reed through which the air flows in the movement of said head in one direction, a wall surrounding said head, said head having means thereon cooperating with said wallV to provide a sound emission passage between said means and the wall, and means affording' communication between` said reed and said passage.

2. In a sound producing, device, a casing having apertures in'the wall/thereof, soundV producing and sound emission controlling 11101111s combined in 11 single unit, and a. tlexible wall fixed at one of its ends to the cas- 1111;1 and at its other 0nd to said unit', said wall subdividinfh1 the interior of the casinar diainetrically thereof into air receivingr and s11111111 receiving1 chambers and suspending,r said 1111111 't'or tree floatingr 11perative Inoveinent relative to tl1ccasing` walls.

3.111 asound produclng' device, an air 0111111111111', a movable head constituting one 01111 of said 011111111101', a sound producing' reed through which the 1111' is expelled :from said 011111111101' in the 111111101110111y of said head in one di 1100111111, 11 wall surrounding said head, saidllead havingr means thereon cooperating with said wall to provid. a. sound 0111iss1o11 passage, nicaus atl'ordingr 0011111111111cation b0- tween said rcedjantl said passage, and said wall. 1111111115;` iuoans thereon with which the .means on said head coacts to obstruct thc emission oit sound through said liassaige.`

1 1. 11111 sound producing' device` a` casing having' sound 0niission apertures in the wall thereof, 11 cylindrical bellows havin g a flexible tubular body wall fixed at one end to the casing,` an air expelling1 head secured to the (1t-1101501111 of said Hexible wall` and movable within the casing to and from positions on opposite sides of the first 1111111011 fixed end of the bellows wall, sound producing' incans through which the air is expelled, and means controlling the emission ot sounds from said casing.

In a` sound producing device, a casing having sound emission apertures in the wall thereof, said casing;1 wall 110111,11r also provided with spaced annular internal ribs. sound inroducing nieans, a bellows arranged within the.01111111101 havingr a gravity movable head :For expellingr air through the sound pro during,r inca-ns, and 11` sound eniission controlling" 0101110111` carried by said head and coactiupIr with said spaced ribs to restrict the passage 111" sound in the ntovcnicnt of the head in one direction, said element cooperating with the casing wall to provide sound cinission passages.

6. In a sound producing device, a casing having sound emission apertures 111 the wall thereof, said easing wall being;r also provided with spaced annular internal ribs, sound producingV means, a` bellows.arranged within the casiircl1 having;r a gravity movable head ior expelling air through the sound produc- 111,1,r 1110111151, and a. tiexible sound emission c1111- trolling1 disc carried by said head and 01111011 iner with said spaced ribs in the movement of the head 111 one direction.

7. In a sound producing' device,` an air chamber and a movable head constitutinp,r one end ot said cha-1111.101', a. sound producing reed through which the air is expelled troni said chamber :in the movement o1' said head in one direction, a wall surrounding said head, ineans on one 111l said parts cooperating with the other part toprovide a sound einission passage between said part and said means during the airexpelling movement o1 said head, 11nd nieans atfording co1nn'1unica tion between said reed and said passage.

S. In 11 sound producing device, 11n air 011111111101' and a movable head constitutingl one end ot'said 011111111101', a. sound producingr reed through which air isexpelled fromV said chamber in the nioveinent of said head in one direction, a` wall surrounding' said head, a`

sound controlling; and directing element on one ot said parts cooperating with the other part` to provide a sound emission passage therchetn'ecn 11111'11111 each oi successive incrclnents o1" movement ot the air expelling head, and 1110111151 1111011111111; communication het 1110011 said reed 11nd said passage.

$1. 111 av sound 1110111101110,1 device, an air 0111111111', a 1111111111110 head consituting' one end o1' said 011111111101', a sound 111111111011111l reed through which the air is expelled troni said 011111111101' in the 111111111110111y ot'said head in one direction, a wail surrounding said head, a Isound controlling and directingv eleinent on one of said parts cooperating with the other part to provide a sound emission passage therebetwecn` ineans111111111111111; connnunication 110111110011 said reed and said passage, and said latter part having spaced means thereon with which said eieinent coactstio obstruct the emission o1 sound through said passage a` pluralit)T of tinies during the air expelling 111111101110111. ot' said head.

1.1). 1n a sound producing` device, a casing, a. beilows within said. casing having' a. tiexihle body wall fixed at. one 111 itsends to the casing' wall, an 1111.' expelling head tixcd to the other 0nd ot said flexible wall, a sound producing' reed through `which the air is eX- pellcd 1ro111 said bellows 111 the movement o1t said air expelling 1101111, and a sound directinn' and controlling'` element carried by said 11011.11 and cooperating` with the wall ol said casinpl to provide a sound emission passage between said e1en1ent and the casing wall, nieans atl'ordingcommunication between said reed and said passage, and said casing; wall having spaced parts with which said elen'ient; coacts to obstruct the emission oi sound through said passage a plurality of tinies duringr the air expelling' nlovenient of said head.`

11.1. ln a `sound producingdevice, a casing', a bellows within said 01111111?,l having a tubular 1102111110 11111.137 wall tixed at one of its ends, an air expelling' head 1112011 to the other 01111 o1 said .flexible wall, sound producing;` means operated by air expe. led troni the bellows in the niovelnent o1 said head, a sound control- 1111,11'` and directing' clement; kcarried by said head and cooperating with the easing' wall to provide an annular sound emission passage between said element and theeasing Wall, means aii'ording communication loetween said sound producing means and said passage, and said easing Wall having means thereon obstructing the emission of sound through sai-d passage during the air eXpelling movement of the bellows head.

12. In a sound producing device7 aV Wall having an opening therein and ak depression in one side of said Wall leading to said opening, a vibratory sound producing element seated in said depression with an end portion thereof projecting over said opening, a

cushioning Apad engaged upon the part of ducing element in operative relation to said opening.

In testimonyrthat I claim the foregoing as my invention, I havesignedmy name under.

Lno J. GRUBMAN.-

here- 20 

